WhatsApp Beta Adds Native GIF Support, Increases Media Sharing Limit

With slow and steady updates, Whatsapp is becoming quite a feature rich app which is a far cry from the simplistic chat app it used to be. The beta version of WhatsApp introduces new features which are then rolled out in official updates on the app stores.

We got the video calling update just a few months back and GIF support (although wonky, it was something) with it. Two factor authentication was also included in the video calling update which allows you to add another layer of security to your WhatsApp account.

The latest beta for WhatsApp is now adding native GIF support. Earlier the app allowed you to convert videos to GIFs then it added the option to share GIFs that you have saved on your phone.

Native GIF Support

The current update lets you search for and send the GIFs directly from the app itself. All you need to do is tap the emoji icon on the left side of the text bar. There will be a “GIF” option at the bottom which you can tap to browse the GIFs.

Image via Android Police

Now you can directly share your reaction to something via WhatsApp instead of manually searching for the GIF, downloading it, then sharing it.

Media Sharing Limit Increased

Another small but important change to WhatsApp is the media sharing option. Right now you can only choose up to 10 images or videos to share at once. Now you can share up to 30 images/videos to share together. It will make things easier for when you need to share important photos of events with family groups for instance (wedding photos for example).

Keep in mind that these new features are only available via WhatsApp beta. You should not use the beta version of WhatsApp as the default app on your phone. This is because it may have bugs and glitches that could make the app itself unusable.